Fighting election has become highly expensive affair but lalu Prasad’s party RJD seems to be an exception. The RJD in 2015 Assembly election contested 101 seats, won 80 but spent only Rs88 lakh. It might look unbelievable but this is the figure party submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
On the other hand the BJP is at a big loss. It spent Rs103.76 crores but could win only 53 seats. This is the highest expenditure declared by any party. The figures have been compiled by Association for Democratic Reforms (EDR). “The focus of this report is on the funds collected by all the recognised parties of Bihar, both national and regional parties, and expenditure incurred by them during Bihar Assembly election 2015,” said ADR Bihar coordinator Rajiv Kumar.
A total of Rs151 crore had been spent by altogether 15 parties which is more than double the amount incurred by them in 2010 election.
The JD(U) spent Rs13.63 crore and won 71 seats. The Samajwadi Party made an expenditure of Rs15.65 crore but could not win a single seat. The lJP of Ram Vilas Paswan declared expenditure of Rs62 lakh and won two seats. Another NDA ally RlSP declared spending only Rs14 lakh and won two seats. Congress spent Rs9.87 crore to win 27 seats.
“While analysing the statements submitted by the parties during the 2015 election it was seen that maximum funds received was by cheque while collection by cash came a distant second. Total funds collected by the national parties (BJP and Congress) was to the tune of Rs129.43 crore while the regional parties collected Rs21.85 crore,” the ADR report said. It further said that JD(U) collected Rs3.60 crore in cash while its ally RJD collected only Rs2,000 in cash. BJP’s collection in cash was Rs10.6 crore and Rs41.06 crore by cheque.
The report also pointed out that the BJP was only national party which had not filed its expenditure report for Assembly election of 2010. So did the RJD. According to the proforma issued by the ECI to political parties for submission of their election expenditure statements, funds received in cash, cheque/DD, in kind, value of which has to be specified, between the date of commencement of election and completion of election have to be disclosed. Nine parties out of 14 in 2010 and three out of 15 in 2015 did not submit their declarations to the ECI.
“Political parties are required to submit a statement of election expenses to the ECI within 75 days of the Assembly election and 90 days of completion of General election,” the report quoted the ECI directive.